This study was undertaken to estimate the reinfection incidence of Ascaris lumbricoides after biannual blanket mass chemotherapy and to figure out the characteristic seasonal fluctuation pattern in a Korean rural village. A total of 612 residents from 4 Ri's of Hwasung Gun, Kyunggi Do, Korea was selected and divided into 6 groups according to hamlets, each of which consisted of about 100 inhabitants. Each group received blanket biannual mass chemotherapy with 10 mg/kg of pyrantel pamoate respectively in each month, during the period from April 1977 to September 1978 (Group A-April and October 1977 and April 1978, Group B-May and November 1977 and May l978, and so on). Beforehand Ascaris infection status was evaluated by examining eggs and worms expelled exactly after the first mass chemotherapy checked during the first 6 months and the reinfection incidences were estimated in follow-up examinations during next l2 months by the above two kinds of methods and by detection of young Ascaris positive cases. Young Ascaris was defined as worm shorter than l3 cm and lighter than 500 mg and considered to have introduced to human host during the period from the previous 2 months to 2 weeks. The results were summarized as follows: Beforehand infection rate with Ascaris were 42.3 percent (34.4-50.6 percent by group) by egg detection and 46.2 percent (36.2-51.9 percent by group) by worm detection methods in average. Number of worms per infected case was 2.7 (1.5-4.2 by group) in average. Reinfection rates estimated by egg detection ranged from 8.0 to 3l.5 percent (l6.9 percent in average) in the first follow-up period and from 14.0 to 20.0 percent (l7.5 percent in average) in the second follow-up. Seasonal fluctuation was found marked and there were roughly two peaks, of which the larger appeared from February to March and the smaller from August to September. Reinfection rates by worm detection method ranged from 20.6 to 34.9 percent(25.7 percent in average) and from 14.3 to 21.9 percent (19.6 percent in average) in respective follow-up examinations. Seasonal fluctuation was also observed and the peak incidence appeared one month earlier than those made by egg positive conversion. Number of worms per infected case decreased to 1.6 in average in both follow-up. Young Ascaris detection rates ranged from 6.0 to 12.9 percent (9.4 percent in average) and from 2.3 to 5.8 percent (3.8 percent in average) in respective follow-up. Seasonal fluctuation was also observed. From January to February, the positive rates were up to 12.9 percent and 12.7 percent respectively, which formed the higher peak. Lower one was observed during July to August. From the above results, the actual time of Ascaris reinfection were November to December for the higher peak and May to June for the lower one in Korean population. Pickled vegetable was suggested as a most probable source of Ascaris reinfection during late autumn to winter season.
parasitology-helminth-nematoda ; Ascaris lumbricoides ; reinfection ; epidemiology

This survey was undertaken to determine the recent prevalence of lung fluke, Paragonimus westermani, in the three localities of Wiseong county, Kyungpook Province, Korea and to compare the prevalence among the residents in the same areas between 1924 and 1980. The three localities, Ku-seong, Sam-chun, and Um-ji villages (dong) have been known as the endemic areas of Paragonimus westermani. The surveys were made on the general population. They were examined using intradermal test with Paragonimus westermani antigen, and the diagnosis of paragonimiasis was made depending on the positive intradermal reaction. The sputum examination could not be performed beacause the residents were inaccessible. The prevalence of Paragonimus westermani among the residents in the three communities varied from 1.4 percent to 7.9 per cent, with an average of 4.0 per cent. Whereas, the average reported by Ichinomiya in 1924 was 4.7 percent. There are no significant differences in the sex and age specific rates of infection between 1924 and 1980. With the abundant density of Semisulcospira snails and crayfish in Sam-chun stream and the high rate of infection with Paragonimus westermani among the residents in the village, it is found that Sam-chun village, one of the three localitied in Wiseong county, where Ichinomiya (1924) surveyed, was still the endemic focus of Paragonimus westermani.
parasitology-helminth-trematoda ; Paragonimus westermani ; paragonimiasis ; epidemiology

In order to determine the epidemiological patten of the liver fluke, Clonorchis sinensis, the locality where the snail, Parafossarulus manchouricus, is abundant, the infestation rates for the cercarial and metacercarial larvae of digenetic trematodes in the snail and fish hosts, and the prevalence of Clonorchis sinensis among the residents in the vicinity of river Taewha, Kyungnam Province, Korea were studied from March 1979 to September 1980. Four snail habitats were found in the river Taewha. The population density of the snail per square meter of the habits ranged from 10 to 500, with an average of 150. Among the 4 snail habitats, three, Baek-cheon, Sa-yeon and Taewha had snails infected with the cercaria of Clonorchis sinensis, and the proportion of infested snails in the three habitats was very low, the average being 0.59 per thousand. Four species of fresh-water fish, the bullhead, Coreobagrus brevicorpus, the Korean shiner, Gnathopogon atromaculatus, the flat bitterling, Paracheilognathus rhombea, and the striped shiner, Pungtungia herzi among ten species of fish examined harbored the metacercaria of Clonorchis sinensis. The intensity of infestation with the cyst of Clonorchis sinensis in the four species of fish was low. The approximate number of the cysts per gram of flesh was between 3.5 in Paracheilognathus rhombea and 21.5 in Gnathopogon atromaculatus. Seven kinds of laval tremathodes, Clonorchis sinensis, Cyathocotyle orientalis, Echinochasmus species, Exorchis oviformis, Metacercaria hasegawai, Metagonimus yokogawai and Metorchis orientalis were found from ten species of fish examined. In general, the infestation rates for the encysted larvae of digenetic trematodes varied from fish to fish. The infection rate for Clonorchis sinensis among the residents in the vicinity of river Taewha was relatively high, 22.2 percent by the formalin-ether sedimentation technique, and the difference in the rate of infection between males and females found to be siginificant(t>2). Of these, the rate was 12.4 per cent in 483 elementary school children and 17.7 percent in 761 middle and high school students. The results obtained in the present study indicate that endemic foci of Clonorchis sinensis exist in the river Taewha and the prevalence of the liver fluke among the residents is still high.
parasitology-helminth-trematoda ; Clonorchis sinensis ; epidemiology

Epidemiological studies on the reinfection pattern of Ascaris lumbricoides were undertaken by means of blanket mass chemotherapy and worm collection in a rural village in Korea, during 1977~1980. The study objectives were to determine the age(sex)-specific reinfection rate during 2, 4, 6 and 12 months through repeated mass chemotherapy with pyrantel pamoate, and to observe the familial aggregation tendency of the reinfected cases. The results obtained are as follows: The age(sex)-reinfection curve revealed that the reinfection rate is much higher in younger individuals than in olders in all of 4 kinds of interval chemotherapy groups. The highest reinfection rate and the highest burden of reinfected worms were observed in preschool childen, followed by primary school students. Such fluctuation in the age-specific reinfection rates was more pronounced in males than in females. There was noted a significant tendency of familial aggregation among the reinfected cases. It is suggested that reinfection occurs never randomly but preferably to the members of certain household families. From these reinfection analyses, it is inferred that the principal mode of A. lumbricoides transmission in the surveyed rural area is likely to be of 'dooryard type', in which case childen and certain family members are more preferably reinfected. It is also suggested that the preschool childen should be included in the primary targets of mass control programme.
parasitology-helminth-nematoda ; Ascaris lumbricoides ; epidemiology ; reinfection

The epidemiological relationship between the current prevalence and monthly reinfection rate of Ascaris lumbricoides was observed in rural communities in Korea by measns of blanket mass chemotherapy and worm collection for measurement of the prevalence and reinfection rates. During the period from 1975 to 1980, a total of 4,466 inhabitants in 10 different localities were treated with 10 mg/kg of pyrantel pamoate and 2 days' whole stools were collected from 2,547 inhabitants. The stools were examined for the presence of expelled adult and/or young worms, which represent the prevalence and reinfection rates for past 2 months respectively. After then, the obtained rates were correlated each other applying the time-prevalence curve proposed by Hayashi. It was observed that the prevalence (overall worm positive rate) and worm burden per individual ranged by areas from 13.6 to 72.3% and 1.4-10.2 respectively. The calculated monthly reinfection rates (X) (from young worm positive rates) according to areas were in the range, 2.6~16.2%, and clearly correlated with the current prevalence (Y) under the equation, Y=1-(1-X)(7.2) where 7.2 is time in month. The equation means that after one time mass chemotherapy the period needed to attain equilibrium of prevalence again would be about 7~8 months. And it is inferred that the majority of reinfected worms in human host turn over every 7~8 months.
parasitology-helminth-nematoda ; Ascaris lumbricoides ; epidemiology ; reinfection

From 1960 through 1965, 39 cases with epileptic seizure caused by the Cystricercus cellulosae were experienced at Kaejong Mental Hospital, Okku-Gun, Chollapukdo province. The present study was carried on at the area of Chollapukdo province where Cysticercus cellulosae cases were frequently reported. Thrity-nine Cystricercus cellulosae cases(35 male and 4 female) with epileptic seizure visited Kaejong Mental Hospital . Okku-Gun, Chollapukdo during the years of 1960-1965 from various Gun(county): Okku-Gun 13, Kimje-Gun 7, and Soonchang-Gun 6. The high incidence was found at the age group of 20-49 years and the distribution of 214 subcutaneous nodules were as follows: Trunk 56.6 percent, upper extremities 26.6 percent, head and neck 9.3 percent, lower extremities 7.5 percent. According to the address of above 39 cases, taenia infestation of the inhabitants in the area was examined by questionaire form. Plain rural area (Maryong-Ri, Okku-Gun); Among 803 persons interviewed, 4.0 percent or 32 complained the output of Taenia segments. The male group showed higher incidence (6.4 percent) than the female(1.5 percent) . The highest incidence was observed at the age group of 30-39 years. Most of the inhabitants of the area had the eating habit of raw beef and pork. Mountainous rural area(Bok-Heung-Myun, Soonchang-Gun); Among 542 persons interviewed, 33 or 6.1 percent complained Taenia infection. The higher incidence was observed in the male group(8.7 percent) than in the female group(3.1 percent) , and also at the age group of 20-49 years. They had eating habit of raw beef and pork. The species of adult worm were identified by morphological examination. Totally 36 adult worms(Taenia saginata 21, T. solium 15) were obtained from 26 cases, and it was experienced that 5 T. solium were eliminated from one person.
parasitology-helminth-cestoda ; Taenia solium ; cysticercus ; epidemiology

In order to determine the prevalence of Necator americanus, 182 fecal samples were collected from school children in the Taegu vicinity. These sample were subsequently cultured by the Harada-Mori technique. Necator americanus was differentiated from Ancylostoma duodenale using the bases of morphological characteristics of filariform larvae. Necator americanus was not found in the vicinity of Taegu.
parasitology-helminth-nematoda- Necator americanus ; epidemiology

Metacercariae were found from 6 samples among 4,382 Parlemon nipponensis which were caught at Podu, Kohung, Korea. The metacercaria was inclined as a larval stage of Paragonimus westermani by following reason: Semisulcospira libertina was the only one species which lives in Podu area. No other metacercaria except Paragonimus westermani were found from the craw or cray fish which were caught in the endemic aera. Metacercariae, ovary, testes and cuticular spines resmbled the characteristics of Paragonimus westermani, which have been described by previous workers.
parasitology ; helminth ; trematoda ; Paragonimus westermani ; metacercaria ; epidemiology

The cello-tape anal swab specimens from 936 primary school children in Seoul, 308 primary school children in a rural area and 92 children in Nanjido, were examined for Enterobius vermicularis eggs. Out of 936 specimens from a primary school in Seoul, E. vermicularis eggs were detected in 114 specimens, the egg detection rate being 12.2 percent. In 308 specimens from a primary school in a rural area, 77 (25.0 percent) were positive for E. vermicularis eggs. Among 92 specimens from Nanjido children in Seoul, egg positive rate of E. vermicularis was 28.3 percent. The egg detection rate of primary school children in Seoul was significantly lower than that of primary school children in a rural area and of Nanjido children. The egg detection rate in boys was lower than that of girls. As the age of children increased, the egg detection rate decreased.
parasitolgy-helminth-nematoda ; Enterobius vermicularis ; egg ; epidemiology

In Ascaris lumbricoides infection, the faecal examination, undertaking for ova detection, is not always diagnostic. It is just because some of the infected cases has Ascaris worm(s) which do not produce eggs. In the present study, the authors attempted to analyse quantitatively the egg discharging patterns in Ascaris infected cases with low worm burden. The following results were obtained: In 1,861 Ascaris worms collected from 853 cases, the sex ratio was 1: 0.74 (female: male). Sex combinations in each burden of case were always fitted with theoretical values from the binomial distribution; (m+f)(n)= (0.426+0.574)(n). In each worm burden, their sex combination indicated different egg discharging patterns; false negative cases, unfertilized ova passers and fertilized ova passers. When the relative frequency of the above three egg discharging patterns was plotted to worm burden per case, a definite relationship was found. The cases with six or more worms have nil probability to be false negative case or unfertilized ova passer. Out of 853 cases, we found 129 false negative cases. The collected worms from 125 cases were morphologically analysed. It was found that 52% of them were infected with only male worm(s) and 24% were infected with young female worm(s). And in 8.8%, old female(s) with empty uterus were infected. The cause of 15.2% was remained unexplained, even though the collected worms were scrutinized.
parasitology-helminth-nematoda ; Ascaris lumbricoides ; egg ; epidemiology